Acoup de grâce (/ˌkuːdəˈɡrɑːs/;French:[kudəɡʁɑs]ⓘlit. 'blow of mercy') is an act ofmercy killing in which amortally wounded person or animal is fatally struck with a melee weapon or shot with a projectile to kill them quickly and end their suffering, with or without theirconsent. With animals, it may be done by hunters to animals they have shot which have fallen, but which are still alive or by veterinarians to seriously injured animals which are dying or in pain. With humans, it may be done by afiring squad after a volley of shots at a condemned prisoner, or by soldiers in wartime who have captured a seriously wounded enemy soldier, although this may be awar crime.
If large animals—such as horses, cattle, and deer—are seriously injured, some veterinarians will kill them with firearms. This is a legalanimal euthanasia method if performed properly.[1][2]This may be performed by means of shooting the animal in the forehead with the bullet directed down the spine through themedulla oblongata, resulting in instant death.[3] The risks are minimal if carried out by skilled personnel in a suitable location, or by using acaptive bolt gun.
Withfiring squad executions, in the past, after the squad fired, the squad's officer may have shot the prisoner with a pistol or rifle atpoint blank if the initial volley turns out not to be immediately fatal.
There have been cases where soldiers have shot and killed seriously wounded enemy soldiers who they have captured.[4] Their rationale for shooting seriously wounded prisoners of war varies and may include the desire to end their suffering orrevenge.In the 2020s, a soldier giving a coup de grâce to kill an incapacitated or seriously wounded soldier would be awar crime. Thelaws of war mandate caring for the incapacitated and prohibitmercy killing.[5]
Its meaning has extended to refer to the final event that causes a figurative death or ending.[6][7] For example, if a company is teetering on the brink ofbankruptcy, if an insolvency administrator hastens the process, in order to make the wind-down more orderly, this action may be figuratively referred to as a "coup de grâce" for the company.
The dictionary definition ofcoup de grâce at Wiktionary